Recruiting via the Core: A Nontraditional Introduction to Economic Thinking

Students often choose to major in economics after being introduced to the discipline through principles courses. Most of these courses cover the same general material, with an emphasis on theories and models. We offer general education courses that introduce economic thinking without emphasizing eco...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe American Economist (New York, N.Y. 1960) Vol. 69; no. 1; pp. 135 - 147
Main Authors Swinton, John R., Conaway, Brooke, Clark, Christopher
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.03.2024
SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
Subjects
principles alternative
economics education
economics major
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Summary:Students often choose to major in economics after being introduced to the discipline through principles courses. Most of these courses cover the same general material, with an emphasis on theories and models. We offer general education courses that introduce economic thinking without emphasizing economic models or theories. Instead, these courses focus on critical thinking, social and economic issues, and ideologies. We find evidence that exposure to a first-year critical-thinking course taught by a member of the Department of Economics and Finance increases the probability that a student will choose to major in economics. JEL Codes: A2, A22
ISSN:0569-4345
2328-1235
DOI:10.1177/05694345231218022